NBA DFS Showdown Playbook November 21: Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Clippers
For tonight's NBA Showdown Slate we have the surprise Utah Jazz taking on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz are led by Lauri Markkanen who has just been on an absolute tear to start the season. Then we have the Clippers, who just got Kawhi Leonard back from injury, but now Paul George heads into this game questionable with a knee injury. That is worth keeping an eye on. Now, let's dive into the NBA DFS Showdown between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers.
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Clippers
Injuries
Utah Jazz
Ochai Agbaji - OUT
Mike Conley - OUT
Rudy Gay - OUT
Los Angeles Clippers
Paul George - Questionable
Luke Kennard - OUT
NBA DFS Showdown Slate Picks
MVP/Captain
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
Paul George is the highest-priced player on the slate, and rightfully so if he is healthy. He left Saturday's game against the Spurs with a knee injury with just 15 minutes played. George was cooking, He scored 21 points and had 30 fantasy points. With Kawhi Leonard back on the court, it seems to open things up for George. He also scored 52 fantasy points in their last meeting against the Jazz. If he is starting tonight, I have no problem putting him in the MVP spot.
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Is Lauri Markkanen going to win the most improved player award? He is making a very strong case, he averaging a career-high 22 points per game and eight rebounds. Over the last five games, he is shooting lights out from behind the arc shooting at a 47% clip, and averaging 36 fantasy points per game. Markkanen scored 37 fantasy points in the last meeting against the Clippers. If you want to save $2,400 at the MVP spot and go Markkanen, I will not try and stop you.
Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
We can definitely tell the Kawhi needs a little bit more time to shake off the rust. The last game was much better than the first. He played 25, and 22 minutes and scored 18.25 fantasy points going a combined 7-16 from the floor. Unfortunately, Kawhi hasn't shown us anything to warrant putting him in the MVP spot of our lineups. You can play him in a utility spot, but there isn't much ceiling for him with the minutes he's getting.
Utility
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz
The ultimate bucket getter Jordan Clarkson seems to have developed the rest of this game this season, and he is getting the minutes because of it. He is averaging a career-high 4.6 assists per game, which you love to see from the veteran guard. Averaging over 32 fantasy points per game this season, he is a solid play most nights, just know that it is a tougher matchup for him in this one as the Clippers are second in defensive efficiency. He did score 36 fantasy points in the last meeting But when Clarkson gets cooking, nobody can stop him.
Reggie Jackson, Los Angeles Clippers
Reggie Jackson has been on fire over his past two games after a tough start to the season. I had thought that John Wall was on the verge of taking his starting job, but that has not been the case over the last two games. He has scored 20 and 23 points over those two games and scored over 33 fantasy points in each of those games. John Wall also had a huge game in the last one collecting 15 assists, but he still isn't playing enough minutes. Wall is also $600 more expensive tonight. Jackson is the better play tonight.
Malik Beasley, Utah Jazz
Malik Beasley has been on absolute fire from the floor over his last two games. Let me say this, it's a tough matchup for him against the Clippers. But, if you want to ride the hot hand, I can't blame you. Over the past two games, Beasley is 20-35 from the field and scored 27, and 29 points. The Jazz are also thin in the backcourt tonight without Mike Conley, so if Beasley is good tonight he could see an extended run.
Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz
Collin Sexton has been coming off the bench all season long, but he could be in line for the start tonight in place of the injured Mike Conley. I am curious to see how many minutes he gets because when Conley went out, he still only finished with 20 minutes. But in each game Sexton has gotten over 28 minutes, Sexton has scored at least 28 fantasy points. If Sexton gets extended minutes tonight, he should produce over his $5,000 price tag.
Dart Throws
Terance Mann, Los Angeles Clippers
If Paul George is out tonight Terance Mann is a great play, who would start in his place. In 28 minutes in the last game he scored 10 points and has three rebounds, but only got up three shots. We did see Mann score 24 fantasy points three games ago, so we know he has it in him. If George is out or limited in any kind, Mann is a terrific play tonight.
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Player News
Buddy Hield had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.
Jimmy Butler had 17 points (6-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He, Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo combined for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points.
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward was just three rebounds away from a triple-double. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but Randle is still the next most important player in this series for the Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday.
Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post in Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
No surprise here as Curry was always a long shot to make it back for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with hamstring injury. While there has been a report that the 37-year-old point guard is expected to miss a week, there is no firm timetable for his return. The Warriors will go big with their starting lineup for Game 2 with center Quinten Post entering the lineup in Curry’s absence.